Cuba Culture News

Cuban biotechnology science develops new vaccine for children

Cuba’s health system has incorporated a new vaccine into the nationwide immunization program to protect children against four diseases.

According to experts, the Cuban-made vaccine resulted from collaboration between the Finlay Institute and the Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institute.

The tetravalent vaccine immunizes children against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and hepatitis B, thus reducing the number of shots administered to children.

As part of Cuba’s immunization program, which protects children against 13 diseases, all children will be vaccinated against hepatitis B before leaving maternity hospitals.

The new vaccine will be administered in three doses when children are two, four and six months old. The DPT triple vaccine (diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough) will be reactivated at the age of 18 months.

Researchers are working on a pentavalent vaccine that will protect children against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae B with a single shot.